As part of their efforts to spur economic growth, the Government of Saint Lucia, with support from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), is reassessing the way it manages and implements projects.

Pointing to the key areas of project planning, risk management; and monitoring and evaluation as notable points of weakness in their project management system, Phillip Dalsou, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Economic Development, Transport and Civil Aviation, said a CDB-funded Public Policy Analysis and Management (PPAM) and Project Cycle Management (PCM) training programme currently underway in the country can contribute to the fundamental change required to improve policy and project performance in the public service.

“If we are able to improve our capacity to effectively deliver better outputs along the entire spectrum of the project management process, we will definitely realise better economic impacts from projects implemented,” Dalsou told public sector workers attending the workshop opening on May 14, 2018.

“Project managers have become central in the leadership of innovation and organisational creativity.  This requires us to invest in the development of a cadre of persons to acquire the core competencies to effectively manage projects,” he said.

The Permanent Secretary added that the PPAM/PCM training will provide public officers with the opportunity to add to their repertoire of skills, enabling them to undertake projects in a results-driven manner that optimises impact, builds capacity and stimulates economic growth.

Following a long tradition of project administration and PPAM training programmes, dating back to 1980, CDB introduced the new PPAM/PCM in 2016 to assist governments of its 19 Borrowing Member Countries with more effective development and management of policies, programmes and projects.  The Bank has prioritised strategic capacity-building in an effort to improve the delivery and impact of regional development projects, especially as countries work toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

“These development goals will require even stronger institutions with the capacity to implement transformative programmes and projects, supported by smart policies,” Reginald Graham, Consultant Coordinator, Trainung Unit, CDB told participants of the six-week programme.

“Throughout the Caribbean, particularly after the devastating 2017 Atlantic Hurricane Season, we see many challenges, but we also see very talented civil servants,” he said.  “It is important to ensure they have opportunities to continually update their skills to stay relevant to 21^st century challenges.”

Over 100 public servants in Saint Lucia registered to participate in the six-week face-to-face PPAM/PCM training programme, which builds on preceding online courses taken by over 90 Saint Lucian public sector employees during 2017.

Training is currently also underway in Belize, St. Kitts and Nevis, Montserrat and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.